now that i think about it, it seems pretty simple: when you have a lineup like the rangers, you end up in no man's land. a team loaded with fringe players = a fringe team. i hope there are some They Live fans out there, because i'm going to drop a Roddy Piper quote: "white line is in the middle of the road. that's the worst place to be."

The team has talent. They have a solid core group of players. But, not too many players are actually playing well right now, and the team seems to be playing uninspired and listless. Who knows? That may be because they aren't good enough. Or, it may be because they need some addition to start stirring the pot a little. The team kind of reminds me of the team the second year after the first lockout that played bored, uninspired hockey during the early half of the year (despite good talent), and then added Avery and then there season turned around. Is an acquisition like that the answer? I don't know, but I think they have to try it. Add some attitude to that lockerroom.

The one thing that I am sure about is that they aren't going to be bad enough to draft in the Top 3 picks in the draft. It's just not going to happen, nor will Sather just blow it up to force that to happen.
- Pete V

McIlrath

The team is getting pushed around without fear. It's time to do something about it before the half-way point of the season. Bring up the Undertaker (to replace Staal) and Haley or Asham and let's see what happens.

Question: I don't follow much AHL hockey, but I jut noticed on the Rangers farm team website, they are listed as the Hartford Wolfpack. What happened to the Whale? That only a two-season deal?

McIlrath

The team is getting pushed around without fear. It's time to do something about it before the half-way point of the season. Bring up the Undertaker (to replace Staal) and Haley or Asham and let's see what happens.
- mames11

I'm very sure if they felt McIlarth was ready he would be here, has anyone actually seen him skate?

i thought mcilrath's knees were already powder

I'm very sure if they felt McIlarth was ready he would be here, has anyone actually seen him skate?
- OLDSCHOOL#6

He seems to be doing well. The team sucks, but he seems to be getting a goal or two and already has 115 PIMS.

http://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/120289

He seems to be doing well. The team sucks, but he seems to be getting a goal or two and already has 115 PIMS.

http://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/120289
- mames11

I know he's a tough guy, but can he skate on the NHL level?

I know he's a tough guy, but can he skate on the NHL level?
- OLDSCHOOL#6

Only one way to find out.

At this point, with the Rangers bottom 3rd pairing (D) being mix-and-mash, I'd give him a try immediately. Besides, his nastiness may be that is exactly what is needed right now. Knowing teams can't take liberties on our players, it may open the ice up for them and get the offence going a bit better.

Can't be any worse.

Only one way to find out.

At this point, with the Rangers bottom 3rd pairing (D) being mix-and-mash, I'd give him a try immediately. Besides, his nastiness may be that is exactly what is needed right now. Knowing teams can't take liberties on our players, it may open the ice up for them and get the offence going a bit better.

Can't be any worse.
- mames11

That's true, it can't get much worse. One of the biggest surprises to me is Dan Girardi is playing like a guy who can't wait to get out of town, and I'm not buying the "system" thing either.

The team has talent. They have a solid core group of players. But, not too many players are actually playing well right now, and the team seems to be playing uninspired and listless. Who knows? That may be because they aren't good enough. Or, it may be because they need some addition to start stirring the pot a little. The team kind of reminds me of the team the second year after the first lockout that played bored, uninspired hockey during the early half of the year (despite good talent), and then added Avery and then there season turned around. Is an acquisition like that the answer? I don't know, but I think they have to try it. Add some attitude to that lockerroom.

The one thing that I am sure about is that they aren't going to be bad enough to draft in the Top 3 picks in the draft. It's just not going to happen, nor will Sather just blow it up to force that to happen.
- Pete V

This team doesn't have as much talent as you give them credit for.

Strip away the fan in us and let's breakdown this roster:

The Rangers only have three forwards, on this team, with top line type talent: Nash, Kreider and Richards.

Richards maybe declining, from his peak years, but he is still managing to put up points and has a history of being a top line player.

Kreider, has the talent to be a first line winger but he is only a rookie and the jury is still out on that.

Nash is an elite winger, talent-wise, but lacks the fire that most top players seem to have.

The next wave of so-called talent is Derek Stepan, Ryan Callahan and Derrick Brassard.

If Derek Stepan is your first line center you are doing something wrong. Not saying he is a bad player but he is not a top flight first line center. He's too weak, physically speaking, and is not well rounded offensively.

Ryan Callahan has come into question this season and for good reason. Yes, he is not as often injured as I, and others, have suggested but if he is not giving 110% energy on every shift he is nothing more than a run of the mill third line player. What has separated him, from the typical depth wingers around the league, is his effort level and fearlessness. This year we have seen how Callahan's other half lives.

Derrick Brassard has talent, yes, but his pro career has been overshadowed by his stunning underachievement. Talent, on a lazy player, gets cancelled out and thus said player becomes rather useless. That pretty much sums Brassard up, useless.

The rest of the regular forwards, on this team, are not worth breaking down because they all are way too similar.

Too small, or play small, can't finish and are just filling up roster space.

The defense is vastly overrated. Aside from McDonagh, and he isn't infallible either, this defense has underachieved or simply is not as good as a lot of people give them credit for.

Most of them are soft as a fresh marshmallow and leave Lundqvist to bail them out 99% of the time.

Onto the goaltending, Lundqvist is the face of the franchise, but he is currently having his worst season in quite sometime. I am generally not concerned about him because I know he cares about winning and losing and he has been the backbone of this team from almost Day One.

He needs help, the kind of help Sather hasn't given him. The team doesn't score and lately they don't even defend well. Hank has crumbled under the weight of carrying this team for way too long.

Things are not going to change unless personnel moves are made and/or the miracle of Glen Sather stepping down happens sooner rather than later.

This team doesn't have as much talent as you give them credit for.

Strip away the fan in us and let's breakdown this roster:

The Rangers only have three forwards, on this team, with top line type talent: Nash, Kreider and Richards.

Richards maybe declining, from his peak years, but he is still managing to put up points and has a history of being a top line player.

Kreider, has the talent to be a first line winger but he is only a rookie and the jury is still out on that.

Nash is an elite winger, talent-wise, but lacks the fire that most top players seem to have.

The next wave of so-called talent is Derek Stepan, Ryan Callahan and Derrick Brassard.

If Derek Stepan is your first line center you are doing something wrong. Not saying he is a bad player but he is not a top flight first line center. He's too weak, physically speaking, and is not well rounded offensively.

Ryan Callahan has come into question this season and for good reason. Yes, he is not as often injured as I, and others, have suggested but if he is not giving 110% energy on every shift he is nothing more than a run of the mill third line player. What has separated him, from the also depth wingers around the league, is his effort level and fearlessness. This year we have seen how Callahan's other half lives.

Derrick Brassard has talent, yes, but his pro career has been overshadowed by his stunning underachievement. Talent, on a lazy player, gets cancelled out and thus said player becomes rather useless. That pretty much sums Brassard up, useless.

The rest of the regular forwards, on this team, ar enot worth breaking down because they all are way too similar.

Too small, or play small, can't finish and are just filling up roster space.

The defense is vastly overrated. Aside from McDonagh, and he isn't infallible either, this defense has underachieved or simply is not as good as a lot of people give them credit for.

Most of them are soft as a fresh marshmallow and leave Lundqvist to bail them out 99% of the time.

Onto the goaltending, Lundqvist is the face of the franchise, but he is currently having his worst season in quite sometime. I am generally not concerned about him because I know he cares about winning and losing and he has been the backbone of this team from almost Day One.

He needs help, the kind of help Sather hasn't given him. The team doesn't score and lately they don't even defend well. Hank has crumbled under the weight of carrying this team for way too long.

Things are not going to change unless personnel moves are made and/or the miracle of Glen Sather stepping down happens sooner rather than later.
- MidnightMarauder

Well that sure sums it up very well.

Of all that, Callahan is the most mystifying. Maybe he's just tired of going to the wall for the team, or maybe he's hurt, but he hasn't been the same player since returning from the thumb injury.

I'm really down on Stepan. First, that absurd holdout, and his apparent unwillingness to do anything about his below par skating skills. He should have Barbara Underhill on speed dial.

I know he's a tough guy, but can he skate on the NHL level?
- OLDSCHOOL#6

I've watched a few games and he has improved leaps and bounds with not only his foot work but positioning, he deserves a shot, I was questioning his ability last season but I'm not anymore

I've watched a few games and he has improved leaps and bounds with not only his foot work but positioning, he deserves a shot, I was questioning his ability last season but I'm not anymore
- cranford93

Agreed. Beukeboom has done a terrific job with the kid. It's time to see what we have here.

I've watched a few games and he has improved leaps and bounds with not only his foot work but positioning, he deserves a shot, I was questioning his ability last season but I'm not anymore
- cranford93

Defensemen always take more time than forwards. McIlrath was drafted knowing it would take a few years for him to fully develop.

A friend is selling tickets to games this week:

12/10 Nashville
12/12 Columbus
12/15 Calgary

Tickets are $115 for the pair, if anyone is interested pm me... I will email him and let him know.

So obviously this team is not a contender but are they more talented than a .500 team? I think they are, not that they're going to win the Cup unless they get some bigger pieces but I think they're are a lot like the Kings a few years ago, they were .500 and playing well below the talent level, they went out made some key moves and he rest is history, they didn't retool the whole team and dismantle what they had built, there were key pieces already in place, the same could be said here, are guys like Jordan Nolan, Clifford, Lewis and Stoll better than what we have? Our bottom 6 is putrid again and if Sather doesn't own up soon it's going to be a quick end to the season

A friend is selling tickets to games this week:

12/10 Nashville
12/12 Columbus
12/15 Calgary

Tickets are $115 for the pair, if anyone is interested pm me... I will email him and let him know.
- aecliptic

Scratch a 1 off those and that's face value of this teams play right now

Steve Zipay ‏@stevezipay 57m
Scheduled off-day for #NYR today. Wait: Many thought that was Sunday

Scratch a 1 off those and that's face value of this teams play right now
- cranford93

Those are 3 games they SHOULD win, but we all know how that goes.

Im going to the Penguins game, that should be depressing.

So obviously this team is not a contender but are they more talented than a .500 team? I think they are, not that they're going to win the Cup unless they get some bigger pieces but I think they're are a lot like the Kings a few years ago, they were .500 and playing well below the talent level, they went out made some key moves and he rest is history, they didn't retool the whole team and dismantle what they had built, there were key pieces already in place, the same could be said here, are guys like Jordan Nolan, Clifford, Lewis and Stoll better than what we have? Our bottom 6 is putrid again and if Sather doesn't own up soon it's going to be a quick end to the season
- cranford93

This team is nowhere near the Kings of 2011-2012.

First and foremost, the Kings have one of the best centers in the league with Kopitar. They also had good depth, throughout their lineup and they were big and tough to play against.

The Kings were only a big trade and a few key call ups away from completely solidifying their lineup.

And the most important element of them all is they changed their head coach midseason. The Rangers aren't firing Vigneault; as they shouldn't anyway.

This team needs an overhaul if they ever want to become a serious cup contender.

Steve Zipay ‏@stevezipay 57m
Scheduled off-day for #NYR today. Wait: Many thought that was Sunday
- jimbro83

Off days usually facilitate some interesting off ice news.

A man can hope, can he not?

A friend is selling tickets to games this week:

12/10 Nashville
12/12 Columbus
12/15 Calgary

Tickets are $115 for the pair, if anyone is interested pm me... I will email him and let him know.
- aecliptic

Good luck to your friend.

Off days usually facilitate some interesting off ice news.

A man can hope, can he not?
- MidnightMarauder

I would LOVE some news

Losing to a team like the Caps, a team that is soft, a team that in the past the Rangers have dictated to is unacceptable and is beyond a major concern. The season is almost half done, the GM needs to do something to change the identity of the team. AV can talk all he wants about skill and puck moving and all that, its not about the skill right now its about attitude. Where is the fight? I'm not talking about dropping the gloves, I mean playing hard, grinding in corners, winning battles? I'm not blaming the coaches, this is on the players now. If indeed it was the players that forced Torts out the door, then fine, you got your new coach, not put up, shut up or get out! Come on Slats, do something, a Sean Avery type trade, they need to really shake the tree here. The team is going to look much different next season anyways given rising cap, BR buyout and AV wanting his type of personnel in here.....something needs to be done before we lose another season.....Lets go!

Steve Zipay ‏@stevezipay 57m
Scheduled off-day for #NYR today. Wait: Many thought that was Sunday
- jimbro83

Great, when the team is now the butt of beat writers' cracks, you know they are in trouble!